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Carbon Offsets: A Worthwhile Gimmick
Posted by
Clark Williams-Derry
04/30/2007 06:50 AM
Climate offsets are more than just gimmicks -- but they're no panacea.
Carbon offsets, which let you pay some money to help fund climate-friendly projects, get the love-hate treatment in today's New York Times.
At issue: are they for real, or just some sort of gimmick? By contributing money to an offset program, are you really expiating your climate sins, or are you just buying meaningless indulgences?
The article finds lots of quotes from people who are skeptical about offsets. But to me, this is mostly a manufactured controversy -- an attempt to find a green schism where none really exists.
As far as I can tell, there's a middle ground on the issue that most people already agree on: namely, that carbon offsets are simultaneously worthwhile and a gimmick. A worthwhile gimmick, if you will.
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